This invention relates generally to a rope fastener, and, more particularly, relates to a rope fastener which is adapted to attach a loop of a rope to another object such as a metal ring, another rope, or the like.
Rope fasteners are known which function to fasten a rope to an object by connecting a loop of the rope to the body. An example of one such fastener can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,780, issued to R. G. Eggeman on Oct. 3, 1961. This fastener includes a body which has a pair of holes through the top and bottom sides of the body portion. At least one hook extends from the top side of the body and has a gradually narrowing shank portion and a bill portion that turns in towards the body. In use, terminal ends of a length of cable are threaded through the holes to form a loop which extends out of the bottom of the body. This loop is passed through the hook to form a sling which tightens about a load to effect a tight grasp.
This fastener, while being effective for some applications, has several disadvantages. The inwardly curved nature of the hook makes it difficult to release the loop. In addition, the relatively wide nature of the space formed by the hook allows the cable to move freely within the hook and increases the possibility of the loop inadvertently slipping out of the hook. Moreover, the relatively large size and heavy construction of this hook makes it poorly suited for applications where light weight and agility are important, for example, recreational activities such as water skiing.